Method of handling mattresses



J 9, 1964 A. A. KLEINSCHMIDT METHOD OF HANDLING MATTRESSES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 12, 1958 r 5 l 1m m h QM. C WW E m Qi m mm K d m A h J/ W n w I mm M W g A,

June 1964 A. A. KLEINSCHMIDT 3,136,429

I METHOD OF HANDLING MATTRESSES Original Filed June 12, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 A/berf 14, ff/e/h 56/2/77 id?" l -Qfi United StatesPatent I 3,136,429 METHOD OF HANDLING MATTRESSES Albert AdolphKleinschmidt, 9 E. Main St., Dundee, Ill. Original application June 12,1958, Ser. No. 741,645, now Patent No. 3,047,305, dated July 13, 1962.Divided and this application May 21, 1962, Ser. No. 196,129

7 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) This application is a division of my applicationSerial No. 741,645 filed June 12, 1958, now Patent No. 3,047,- 305issued July 31, 1962.

The present invention relates to improvements in moving mattresses andbed springs which are rather unwieldy for handling by a lone person oreven by a plurality of persons.

In a household, small store and the like where a person must often relyupon his own manual effort to move an unwieldy mattress or bed spring aseries problem is encountered, especially where such person is frail ornot permitted to engage in lifting of heavy or awkward articles.Mattresses are especially unwieldy for one person to handle and are evenawkward for two persons to handle because of the generally flexiblenature and substantial weight involved.

It is accordingly an important object of the present invention toprovide a new and improved method of moving mattresses and bed springs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved methodfor removing a mattress from a bed for movement to another location, orreplacement upon the bed in a turned position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method ofremoving a mattress from a bed and moving the mattress to a new locationas for airing the same, or other purposes.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the device as it appears when handlinga mattress or like article;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the device in collapsed, folded condition;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional detail view taken substantially onthe line IIIIII of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a more or less schematic perspective view showing how amattress may be loaded onto or unloaded from the moving device,according to the present invention; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top portions of two ofthe opposed supporting stakes and the connecting members therebetween.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a device especially well adapted for use in thepractice of the invention of the present invention includes an elongatedbase section in the formof a horizontal panel and serving as theprincipal or main member of the device to which other members arearranged to be connected. As a base extension from the base member 15 isan elongated similarbase section member 17 with the ends of the membersadjoining in alignment. Separable hinged connection between the members15 and 17 is effected by means of coupling structure, in the presentinstance comprising respective hinge members 18 and 19 having usualcomplementary aligned hinge curls and with readily removal connectingpins 20 extending through the aligned hinge curls. By having thecoupling assemblies on the upper faces of the aligned base panel members15 and 17, the base panel members are adapted to be folded in collapsedrelation upon one another in face-to-face relation as shown in FIGURES 2and 3.

In a preferred arrangement, the device is of generally L-shape with thebase panel sections 15 and 17 providing one arm and on the end portionof the main base panel 15 opposite to the connection with the base panelextension member 17, a right angular upstanding supporting structureproviding the other arm and comprising a first elongated panel sectionmember 21 of the same Width as the base member 15 and supporting on itsupper end a second upright panel section member 22. Hinged, separablecoupling of the panel members 21 and 22 is effected similarly asdescribed in connection with the base panel members 15 and 17, as bestseen in FIGURE 3, comprising herein respective hinge sections 23 and 24and readily removable connecting pins 25, 26 to extend through thecomplementary aligned hinge curls. A similar disconnectable hingecoupling structure 27 is utilized to connect the lower end portion ofthe upright member 21 to a supporting and spacer bar 28 carried fixedlyupon the adjacent end portion of the base panel 15 and of sufficientwidth to enable folded collapsed disposition of the panel uprightmembers 21 and 22 upon the folded base panel member 17 as best seen inFIGURES Z and 3, with the upright panel 22 folded in upon the inner faceof the panel 21 and then the two upright panel members folded down uponthe members 17, with all of the members lying substantially parallel inthe folded relationship. Since the upright dimension of the device neednot be as long as the base dimension, the two upright panel members 21and 22 may be shorter and of substantially the same length as shown. Byhaving the base extension member 17 a little shorter than the main basemember 15, a limited space or gap is afforded between the free end ofthe member 17 and the supporting and spacer bar 28 to provide a storagespace 29 within the collapsed device.

To facilitate movement of the device, it carries wheel means, herein inthe form of transversely aligned pairs of casters 30. By preference themain base panel member 15 has secured to its underface adjacent to itsopposite ends respective pairs of the casters'30, while the extensionbase member 17 carries on its underface adjacent to its free end apairof the casters 30, the remaining, attached end of the extension basemember in this instance relying upon the adjacent set of casters on thebase member 15 for rolling support through the hinge connection betweenthe two base members.

In order to enable the device to be up-ended for rolling support on theuprights 21 and 22, a pair of the casters 3% is carried by the outerside of the supporting and spacer bar 28, and the upper of the uprights22 carries respective pairs of the casters 30 adjacent to its oppositeends and attached to its outer face. The lower of the upright panelmembers 21 could also be supplied with such casters but that is notnecessary since rolling support is afforded by the casters adjacent tothe opposite ends thereof on respectively the spacer bar 28 and theupper of the members 22.

In order to enable as flat as possible collapsing of the several membersof the device, provision is made for receiving of the casters 30 on thebase member 17 within respective clearance apertures 31 in the upper ofthe upright members 22 (FIGS. 1 and 3), and the casters 30 on thefolded-under upright member 22 are received through clearance apertures32 in the folded base member 17.

For convenience in handling the device both in its set up utilitycondition and in its collapsed condition, the several panel members areprovided with suitable transverse hand hole slots 33. These slots are sodisposed on the several panels as to be in registration in the collapsedcondition of the panels as shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3. In addition, thefree end portion of the upright panel member 22 is provided with one ofthe hand hole slots 33 to provide a convenient handle 34 on the free endof the member. Adjacent to its free end, the base extension panel member17 is also provided with one of the hand hole slots 53 to aiford ahandle 35;. p

In the exemplary form shown, the device is dimensioned for convenientlysupporting and moving a stand ard double bed mattress 37 shown inphantom outline in FIGURE 1. For this purpose, the combined length ofthe base members 15 and 17 is preferably slightly greater than the totallength of such amattress and the total length of the upright members 21and 22, together with the supporting base bar 28 is preferably slightlygreater than the transverse, narrower dimension of the mattress and themattress is adapted to be supported on edge on the base members andagainst the upright members.

For retaining the mattress 37 upon the device and against collapsing,removable upright supporting bars or stakes 33 are provided. These areconstructed and arranged for removable attachment to the base members 15and 17 so that not only may the base members he used as supporting dollytype Wheeled carriages without the stakes, but the stakes in preferrednumber may be mounted in a preferred relationship on the base membersand in relation to one another selectively.

Removable attachment of the stakes 38 tothe base.

members is effected in any preferred manner as by having the lower endsof the stakes equipped to engage in respective marginal socket holes 4%;(FIG. 2). Suitable latching means are provided for detachably retainingthe stakes comprising, for example, means inciuding outwardly openingnotchesll in the margins of the panels and foot bracket structure 43carried by the lower end portions of the stakes and clamping or latchingstructure 4'7, as best seen in FIG. 1. Through this arrangement thestakes are readily attachable and detachable as desired.

By preference, provision is made for connecting the stakes 38 by opposedpairs to the respective base member 15 or 17, with one of the stakemembers of each pair located on each opposite longitudinal margin of thebase member. In a convenient arrangement for multiple utility, twolongitudinally spaced pairs of the stake members 38 are arranged to besupported by the main base panel member 15, while. one pair of the stakemembers 38 is arranged to be supported by the extension base panelmember 17. Thus, the mainbase member 15 supports one of the pairs ofstake members 38 adjacent to one end of the base member and the otherpair of stake members thereon adjacent to the opposite end while thepair of stakes 38 carried by the extension base member 17 are supportednear its free end and thus suitably spaced from the'nearest pair ofstakes on the base panel member 15. This affords desirable support forthe opposite broad faces of the mattress 37 adjacent to its oppositeends and also adjacent to its middle, retaining the mattress againstbuckling or snaking but maintaining it centered on the median verticalplane of the mover device.

While the mattress 37, or other article or articles to be moved mayeifectively be supported on the moving device between the stakes 38without any connection between the upper ends of the stakes, it isdesirable, especially where the mattress or other article is to be moveda substantial distance and possibly through a more or less irregularpassage or up and down stairs or through doorways where the device mustbe up-ended to wheel the same on the casters carried by the upright endpanel members '21 and 22 and the spacer bar 28, to provide hold-down andlatching means for at least the up-ended longitudinal edge of themattress or other article and preferably also for the free end thereofwhich extends up from the free end portion of the extension base panelmember 1'7. To this end, referring to FIGURES l and 5, cross-overquick-releasable latching means are provided her 17 as shown in FIGURE1.

. 4 to extend between and connect the upper end portions of therespective pairs of stakes 38.

In one desirable form, such latching means comprise respective flexiblerope-like latching members 49 suitably secured at one end portion to theassociated stake adjacent to the upper extremity of the stake and of alength to extend across the gap between the upper end portions of thepair of stakes and engage latchingly in a laterally opening latch slotor notch 50 formed in the vertical edge of the opposing stake below andadjacent to the point at which the companion flexible latch member 49 isattached. On their free end portions, the flexible latch members 49 areprovided with respective handles 51 which conveniently may be in theform of a loop as shown, with suitable light-frictional-resistance meanslocated adjacent to the loop ineach instance for engagement with thesurface areas adjacent to the notch 5% into which the free end portionof the latch member is engaged. In a desirable form, such friction meanscomprises a pair of longitudinally spaced enlargements or knots 52related to the thickness of the engaged stake to have suflicient lightfricitonal grip on the portion of the stake therebetween when the lengthof the latch member between the knots is engaged within the respectivenotch 50, thereby retaining the free end portion of the flexible latchmember against unintentional displacement.

While perhaps one flexible latch member 49 between each pairof staices'would be suflicient for most purposes, by having a pair of such latchmembers with one carried by each of the stake end portions and disposedto be latchingly related in crossing relation as shown and with theretaining notch 50 in each instance disposed on the respectivelyopposite side of the confronting stake member, double assurance againstunintentional unlatching is had since even though one of the latchmembers 49 may slip out of its latching notch 50, the remaining latchmember will adequately hold the latching, retaining relationship.

Additional retaining means, where desired, may comprise a flexibleretaining strand member 53 which may be or rope-like form to extendbetween the upper end portion of the upright member 22 at one end of thedevice and over the mattress or other article and down along theopposite end of the mattress and secured to the free end portion of thebase panel extension mem- Attachment of the retaining member 53 to theupright panel member 22 may be by looping the associated end of themember 53 through the handle hole 33 or around under the adjacentcasters 3%, or as shown through the adjacent caster clearance apertures31. Thence the retaining member 53 is carried over the mattress 37longitudinally and may be looped around the upper or head end portion ofthe stakes 33 as shown with respect to the two center stakes in FIGURE1, the loop being engaged within the mouth end portions ofthe latchnotches 50, and in suitable retaining notches 54 in the oppositerespective edges of the stakes. From there the retaining member 53 iscarried over the upper edge of the mattress 37 and may be directeddiagonally thereacross to the upper or head 'end portions of the stakes38 carried by the base panel member 17 where the retaining member 53'isagain looped around thestake heads in the notches 50 and 54 thereof andmay be looped over and under the crossing flexible latch members 49 andthencarried on down over the free end of the mattress and secured to theadjacent end portion of the extension base panel member 17 as forexample by looping the end portion of the member 53 through the adjacentcaster clearance apertures 32, as shown. By looping the retainingrope-like member 53 about the head portions of the stakes 38 asdescribed, of course, the associated flexible latch members 49 arelocked against any possibility of unintentional release until the loopof the retaining member 53 is unwound from the stake heads and moreparticularly out, of the notches 5d and 54.

While the handles 34 and 35, as well as the hand holes 33 in the uprightend members 21 and 22 and the hand holes 33 in the base members 15 and17 are available for gaining convenient hand hold upon the device formanipulating the same, loaded or unloaded, additional handle means maybe provided, such as a spaced series of handle loops 55 on the portionof the retaining member 53 which extends over the outer end portion ofthe mattress. Additionally, a suitable handle 57 may be provided on theouter side of the vertically disposed end spacer bar 28.

As a further aid in maintaining the supported article on the device,suitable friction facing material may be carried by the article engagingfaces of the several components of the device. For example, on thearticle supporting faces of the base panel members 15 and 17, frictionmaterial in the form of a longitudinal strip 58 may be applied in awidth that leaves the opposite margins of the base panel members freesubstantially as shown. Similar strip frictional facing material 59 maybe carried by the article opposing faces of the stakes 38. Similarfrictional facing material may be carried by the article opposing facesof the upright panel members 21 and 22. A suitable soft rubber orrubber-like material of high coefficient of friction may be used.Althoughsuch material may be supplied in strip form and adhesively.secured in place, a suitable painted or sprayed on friction facingmaterial may be employed.

According to the present invention, the mattress 37 can'be loaded orunloaded by a single individual with a minimum of physical effort. Thisis especially important for persons who suffer from physical disabilityor impairment which precludes any heavy lifting. Thus, referring toFIGURE 4, the moving device with one or more of the stakes 38 attachedto only one margin of the base assembly is wheeled into positionalongside a bed 69 from which the mattress 37 is to be removed or ontowhich the mattress is to be placed. Because the overall width of themoving device is'only a little greater than the thickness of the usualmattress, the device can be moved into position in what may be a verynarrow space between the bed and an adjacent wall. In any event,

' after the device has been placed in position with the stakes 38carried thereby on the margin remote from the bed, the mattress caneasily be slid off of the bed until the edge of the mattress nearest themoving device-as it leaves the bed tilts down and moves directly intoengagement onto the base structure provided by the members 15 and 17 ofthe device. Since this action is primarily a dropping or gravity inducedaction, only the moderate effort to slide the mattress off the bed isrequired. Then, when the adjacent longitudinal edge of the mattress hascome to rest upon the base structure of the device, the remainder of themattress can be easily tilted by swinging it over into upright positionagainst the one or more stakes 38 opposing the same.

To facilitate such movement of the mattress into upright on-edgeposition on the device, a pull rope 70 may be secured at its ends to theusual side carrying handle loops adjacent to the opposite ends of theedge of the mattress to be up-ended. By pulling on such rope themattress is slid toward its opposite edge and then can be brought to itsupright plane with its face that was up- 1 ward on the bed against thesupporting stake or stakes 38. Then by looping the rope over the stakesthe mattress can be held in position until the stakes 38 have beenattached to the opposite margin of the base members 15 and 17 of thedevice and thus fully support the mattress in its upright on-edgeposition on the device.

Of course, return of the mattress 37 to the bed after airing, cleaningor the like involves merely a reversal of the procedure just described.If at this time it is desired to have the mattress in reverse or turnedover position relative to that from which it was removed from the bed,that can easily be done by placing the moving device on the oppositeside of the bed and placing in down position on the bed that face of themattress which was up at the time the mattress was removed from the bed.

In generally similar fashion a bed spring 71 on the bed 69 is adapted tobe removed from or replaced on the bed, or even initially handled bymeans of the moving device and placed upon the bed. Thus, the bed springcan be slide generally horizontally with respect to the bedstead and itsedge tilted downwardly onto the .properly located moving device base.The spring unit is then swung into a vertical plane, similarly asdescribed in respect to the mattress 37. Loading of the spring unit 71onto the moving device is thereby readily effected. Reversal of thesesteps will result in either initial placing of the spring on the bedfrom the moving device or replacement of the spring onto the bedsteadas, for example, where the bed must be moved from one place to another,or for cleaning purposes, or the like.

When the moving device is to be put away or stored, it is readilycollapsed into the folded condition shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 wherein itprovides a compact package which can be placed in a small storage,space. Any loose ropes can be accommodated in the storage space 29within the folded unit.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a method of moving a mattress from a bed,

attaching a pull member to one side of the mattress adjacent to oppositeends of the mattress, pulling and sliding the mattress toward itsopposite side and over that side of the bed ,by pulling on said pullmember in the direction of said opposite side until 4 the mattress as itleaves the bed bends down from said one side of the bed and saidopposite side of the mattress dips down toward the floor by gravityinduced action,

and receiving said opposite side of the mattress directly in engagementon a wheel mattress moving device base disposed below the bed and closetov the floor adjacent to said side of the bed,

continuing pull on said pull member until the mattress is entirely offof the bed and upstandingly restson said opposite side of said device,

and securing the mattress on the device in such standing relationthereto for transportation by said device.

2. In a method of moving a mattress from a bed,

attaching a pull member to one side of the mattress adjacent to oppositeends of the mattress,

placing a mattress moving device alongside the bed on the opposite sidefrom said one side of the mattress and with a base structure of themoving device substantially below the bed-supported level of themattress and closely adjacent to the floor, removing upright retainingmeans from the side of the base structure nearestthe bed and leaving inplace upright retaining means on the base structure on the remote sidethereof from the side adjacent the bed, pulling and sliding the mattresstoward its said opposite side and over that side of the bed by pullingon said pull member in the direction of said opposite side ofthemattress until the mattress bends down from the bed and said oppositeside of the mattress dips down toward and gravitationally engages saidbase structure,

continuing pull on said pull member untilthe mattress is entirely off ofthe bed and upstandingly rests on said base structure and restingagainst said in place upright retaining means,

and securing said removed retaining means on said base structure againstthe mattress to retain it in place on the mattress mover for movementaway from the bed.

3. In a method of moving a mattress from a bed,

attaching a pull member to one side of the mattress adjacent, toopposite ends of the mattress, locating a mattress moving devicealongside the bed adjacent to the opposite sidetof the mattress, with amattress receiving narrow base struc'ture of'the moving device adjacentto the floor and substantially below the bed-supported level of themattress, removing upright stake members from the side of the basestructure nearest the bed and leaving in place upstanding stake memberson the base structure at the opposite side thereof from the side of thebase structure nearest the bed, pulling and sliding the mattress towardthe moving device until the mattress bends down from the bed and itsside opposite to said one side gravitationally engages said basestructure, continuing pull on the mattress until the face of themattress whichwas uppermost on the bed engages said stake members,retaining the mattress in upstanding positionby engag ing said pullmember on said in place stake members, and securing said removed stakemembers to the base structure and in engagement with the opposite faceof the mattress to retain the mattress onthe moving member. 4. In amethod of moving generally rectangular members, such as a mattress, bedspring unit and the like;

Wheeling a moving device having a receiving base adjacent to floor levelinto position along one side of a bed having the member thereon at anelevation substantially above said base, the side of the base nearest'the'bed being free to receive the member thereon directly from the bed;sliding the member off of :the bed toward said one side of the bed untilthe member as it leaves the bed dips down toward the floorandtcontinuing such movement until the low edge of the membergravitationally directly engages said base; then continuing movement ofthe member by swinging it away from the bed until it is fully loadedonto the device and upstanding on said edge on said base; and retainingthe member in said upstandingposition on the base structure device formovement therewith. 5. In a method of moving generally rectangularmembers, such asa mattress, bed spring unit and the like;

wheeling a moving device having a receiving base adjacent to floor levelinto position along one side of a bed having the member thereon at anelevation substantially above said base, the side of the base nearestthe bed being free to receive the member thereon directly from the bed;t sliding the member off of the bed toward said one side of the beduntil the member as it leaves the bed dips down toward the floor andcontinuing such movement until the low edge of the membergravitationallydirectly engages-said base; then continuing movement ofthe member'by swinging it away from the bed until it is fully loadedonto the device and upstanding on said edge on said base; retaining themember in said upstanding position on the base structure device formovement therewith; and thereafter returning the member to the bed byreleasing it from said upstanding position and swinging it toward thebed and then sliding it back onto the bed in the reversedirection fromthe direction of movement in loading the member onto the moving device.6. In a method of handling a mattre s,

sliding the mattress from the bed sidewardly until it bends down oversaid side of the bed and its edge adjacent to the moving device dipsdownwardly gravitationally directly onto said base structure, continuingmovement of the mattress and swinging it away from the bed until itstands up on edge on said base structure and with its face that wasupwardly facing restingagainst said upright retaining structure,retaining the mattress in said edge standing position on the .basestructure and against said upstanding retaining structure and securingupstanding retaining structure on said side of said base structurenearest the bed and retainingly against the opposite face of themattress, and moving said handling device with the mattress thereon awayfrom the bed. 7. In a method of handling a mattress, placing in positionsubstantially parallel along one side of a bed a mattress handlingdevice comprising an elongated base structure located adjacent to thefloor and substantially below the level of the bed, the base structurehaving along its side remote from the bed a retaining structure standingupright and being free from any'retaining structure on its side nearestthe bed, sliding the mattress from the bed sidewardly until it bendsdownvover said side of the bed and its edge adjacent to the movingdevice dips downwardly gravitationally directly onto said basestructure, continuing movement of the mattress and swinging it away fromthe bed until it stands up on edge on said base-structure and with itsface that was upwardly facing resting againstvsaid upright retainingstructure, retaining the mattress in said edge standing position onthebase structure and against said upstanding retaining structure andsecuring upstanding retaining structure on said side of said basestructure nearest the bed and retainingly against the opposite face ofthe mattress, moving said handling device with the mattress thereonabout and realigning it with-the bed with the originally upwardly facingface of the mattress adjacent to one 'side of the bed, removing thefirst mentioned upright standing retaining structure from saidoriginally upwardly facing face, and swinging and bending the mattressover onto the bed and sliding it back onto the bed off of said handlingdevice and with said originally upwardly facing face of the mattress nowfacing downwardly on the bed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITEDSTATES PATENT oFrTcE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTTGN Patent No. 3,136,429

June 9, 1964 Albert Adolph Kleinschmidt It is hereby certified thaterror appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and thatthe said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 18, for "series" read serious column 4, line 41, for "or"read of column 6, line 8, for "slide" read slid line 40, for "wheel"read wheeled line 45, for "of" read on Signed and sealed this 20th dayof October 1964 (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. IN A METHOD OF MOVING A MATTRESS FROM A BED. ATTACHING A PULL MEMBERTO ONE SIDE OF THE MATTRESS ADJACENT TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE MATTRESS,PULLING AND SLIDING THE MATTRESS TOWARD ITS OPPOSITE SIDE AND OVER THATSIDE OF THE BED BY PULLING ON SAID PULL MEMBER IN THE DIRECTION OF SAIDOPPOSITE SIDE UNTIL THE MATTRESS AS IT LEAVES THE BED BENDS DOWN FROMSAID ONE SIDE OF THE BED AND SAID OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE MATTRESS DIPSDOWN TOWARD THE FLOOR BY GRAVITY INDUCED ACTION. AND RECEIVING SAIDOPPOSITE SIDE OF THE MATTRESS DIRECTLY IN ENGAGEMENT ON A WHEEL MATTRESSMOVING DEVICE BASE DISPOSED BELOW THE BED AND CLOSE TO THE FLOORADJACENT TO SAID SIDE OF THE BED,